It is sometimes necessary to patch communication cables within the floor or ceiling space in data centers, storage area networks (SAN) and local area networks (LAN). Patch panels and like cabinetry (e.g., enclosures) are widely employed in communication systems to facilitate such connections along various distribution paths of a network.
Floor spaces are typically low profile and fire codes require that the enclosures create isolation between the plenum air space and the cable interconnect point. This isolation, or fire stop, prevents any burning of connectivity components from making the plenum air space toxic in the event of a fire.
Raised floor enclosures typically fit under a single 2 foot×2 foot raised floor tile. Most models use the raised floor tile as a “lid”. The enclosures are UL Listed enclosures, suitable for low voltage applications and for use in air handling spaces.
A variety of sizes are available to match floor height. Most models include brackets for attachment to raised floor support pedestals. Enclosures include threaded equipment mounting rails and have multiple, edge-protected cable access ports with fire-rated foam sealing kits.
In enclosures designed for use in low height floors, two facing pairs of pivoting or fixed equipment mounting rails are used to provide easy access to the front and rear of the patch panel. FIG. 1 illustrates a common raised floor enclosure 10 manufactured by American Access, which can be installed in a standard floor tile footprint. Enclosure 10 includes a 2 foot by 2 foot opening and has a depth ranging from 1.75 inches to 11 inches. For depths of 6 and 8 inches, the enclosure design of FIG. 1 is equipped with 19 inch spaced apart mounting rails 12 designed to accommodate copper terminated cable assemblies. The rails 12 are inclined at angles ranging from 45-60 degrees from the floor of the enclosure depending on the supplier. For more shallow floor depths such as 2 inch and 4 inch depths, the rails 12 are mounted such that the mounting surface is parallel with a bottom wall 14 defining the enclosure 10. It should be noted that the enclosure 10 was originally conceived when “fiber in the zone” or under floor patching of fiber optics was not popular. Therefore, the rail locations in the existing enclosures are not optimally located to accommodate suitable fiber optic bend radii. In the same vain, the designers of these existing enclosures have not accounted for any installation of cassettes (e.g., a modular fiber optic system) within these enclosures.
Therefore, there is a need for an apparatus and method that permits de facto standard raised floor enclosures to accommodate fiber optic connections, in raised floor locations, for example, while maintaining bend radius considerations. Further, there is a need for an apparatus and method that enables installation of “ready to use” modular fiber optic cassettes in de facto standard raised floor enclosures.